New to this forum but not new to iritis :(

[rthoden]

Hello, thank you for taking the time to read this. I was diagnosed with iritis in 1997 when I was 18. Eye dr didn't think much of it. Didn't have another episode until 1999 when I got iritis in right eye and optic neuritis in my left eye. Had an MRI to check for MS, was negative. Started having episodes twice a year every year until 2004. Now I get them 4 times a year. The episodes are usually severe and takes about 8-12 weeks until they are cleared up. The usual treatment is steriod shot in the eye and steriod drops every hour. I was diagnosed as HLA-B27+ 5 years ago. I started seeing a rheumatologist a year ago. He is only treating me with NSAIDs that don't seem to help anything. My eye dr is pleading with him to start treating me more aggressivley because of how severe my iritis has been. My current bout of irits flared up last week and I'm the worst my eye dr has ever seen. I have white blood cells accumlating on my eye (can't remember the technical term of this) and with two steriod shots I'm showing little improvement. The most concerning thing is since 1997 I've only had the iritis in my right eye until this current flare up, this is the first time that I've ever had it in my left eye and I have it in my right eye right now as well. My eye dr mentioned Remicaide (not sure of the spelling) as a possible treatment that my rheumatolgist could start me on to help with the flare ups. I'm beginning to get very discouraged and thinking there is no end to this mess. I get horrible migraines on top of all this. Is that a common problem with anyone else or are they completely different issues? I'm really worried since I now have it in my left eye. Guess I'm hoping someone out there has some words of wisdom. Again, thanks for taking the time to read this.
Rebecca

[Mike Bartolatz]

Hi Rebecca, Welcome to the group!
if your iritis has not responded to the NSAID, allowing you to get off all steroid without inflammation, then it is time to move on to other medications. usually Methotrexate is tried as the 'next step' in a step ladder approach to treatment. initially given along with steroids to quiet the eye down and then alone to get you to 'off all steroids without inflammation'. Remicade works best in conjuntion with Methotrexate, cellcept etc, alone remicade will not get you to remission from what Dr Foster has indicated in posts at his site http://www.uveitis.org
it is possible that there is a Uveitis specialist near you who could prescribe and monitor the Methotrexate or other drugs that might be prescribed. there is a list of these specialists at the link above in the PATIENT information section of the site or tell me where you live and I'll indicate whom I feel is the best specialist nearest to you.
headache can be from photophobia, as well as from other causes. get checked for amyloidosis through anti cardiolipin antibodies which sometimes occurs in HLA B27 patients.

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Wish you the best,
Mike

mike